Seeing children in hospital from all-terrain vehicle accidents prompted a nurse and University of Calgary grad student to conduct a research project on childhood ATV injuries.
Marissa Grossi said the study participants are between ages 18 and 29, but all had an ATV-related injury when they were 18 years or younger.
“We’re curious to find out more about their experiences, what it has been like having an ATV injury and if there have been impacts since or what their experience has been since then,” said Grossi of Calgary.
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“Being a nurse and kind of seeing ATV-related injuries prompted me to want to research more about it.”
While there are plenty of ATV injuries each year in Alberta, Grossi could find statistics about the injuries, but little research on the injuries or the lingering impacts, especially in children.
According to the Injury Prevention Centre about 15 people of all ages die in Alberta every year while riding quads. More than 550 people are admitted to hospital and more than 4,800 go to emergency departments for treatment.
“I wanted to talk to someone who had an ATV-related injury and hearing more directly from them.”
In her study, Grossi will interview participants over the phone, or on a web call. The study focuses on obtaining data through open-ended and conversational communication.
“With qualitative research it is always approaching it open-ended and not knowing what you will find out. There hasn’t been any research currently that we have seen that specifically explores experiences of children, who are under the age of 18, who have been involved in ATV injuries. We’re curious to find out more about what their experiences have been like.
“Hearing stories more can help capture if there are any kind of changes. What will come out of the research study is hard to say, especially with qualitative research. It is hard to say what your research findings will be.”
Originally Grossi’s research was to be centred around the Calgary area, but she is trying to modify the study to include children throughout the province.
Marissa Grossi can be contacted at marissa.grossi@ucalgary.ca.
